2006年VOA标准英语-Israel Says It Will Not Hold Talks with Syria

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
07 December 2006

Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert, says he has no intention of opening peace talks with Syria, and that it was wrong to link the Arab-Israeli conflict with efforts to stabilize¹ Iraq - as called for by members of the Iraq Study Group in their report released on Wednesday. VOA's Jim Teeple has more from our Jerusalem bureau.

Ehud Olmert (File photo)

Speaking to Israeli newspaper editors on Thursday, Ehud Olmert said the Middle East has many problems that are not connected with Israel, and he did not believe there was a linkage² between efforts to end the war in Iraq, and efforts to bring an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

The Iraq Study Group report released on Wednesday calls for direct talks between Israel, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinians, and says efforts to resolve the Israeli-Arab conflict could help improve the situation in Iraq.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry³, says Israel does not see the linkage.

"I think the Middle East has many problemsm,' he said. "In many parts of the region you see conflict, you see conflict, struggle and instability. But the idea that the reason there are problems in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon is because of Israel is an assumption that I believe is a bit far-fetched."

Mr. Olmert says, for now, Israel has no plans to reopen talks with Syria saying the conditions are not right given what he described as Syria's support for Hamas.

Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, recently called for a new round of talks with Israel.

Mr. Olmert also says during his recent talks with President Bush in Washington he received no indication that the U.S. would push Israel to re-start talks with the Syrians.

Israel's prime minister says he is deeply interested in re-starting talks with the Palestinians, and he said Israel was committed to the Gaza ceasefire agreed to on November 26.

Ehud Olmert also said Israel would not tolerate a nuclear Iran, but he said Israel would not take unilateral action in the matter, saying the Iranian nuclear issue should be settled by the international community.

1 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

2 linkage   

n.连接；环节

参考例句：

• In their monographic treatment of linkage,they have emphasized this especially.他们在论连锁的专题文章中特别强调了这点。
• Occasionally,problems with block inheritance or linkage are encountered.有时会遇到区段遗传或连锁问题。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。